


You Only Had to Ask

by madridistagoblue



Series: Seirin Week 2015 [7]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Gen, Introspection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-21
Updated: 2015-07-21
Packaged: 2018-04-10 10:56:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4389122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madridistagoblue/pseuds/madridistagoblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Kagami wasn't sure what to do about the figure in front of him. To be honest, he only saw the door at first -- a zone within the zone -- which taunted him with its majestic bronze entrance and the small hint of light that peeked through the crack.  Kagami was so focused on conquering it -- on forcing it open -- that he hadn't even noticed the guardian there, standing alone in the depths of his consciousness."</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Only Had to Ask

**Author's Note:**

> Written as the final prompt for Seirin Week 2015 on tumblr. The theme for day 7 was Free Throw -- a free day for the week.   
> A HUGE shoutout to everyone who participated in this event. We did it!!!

Kagami wasn't sure what to do about the figure in front of him. To be honest, he only saw the door at first -- a zone within the zone -- which taunted him with its majestic bronze entrance and the small hint of light that peeked through the crack.  Kagami was so focused on conquering it -- on forcing it open -- that he hadn't even noticed the guardian there, standing alone in the depths of his consciousness.

The guardian was concealed in the darkness of the empty space, a mere shadow separating Kagami from a light that shined brighter than anything he already knew. He didn't raise his voice or issue a threat; he merely stood there. Yet, he blocked Kagami's path nonetheless.

At first, Kagami thought he wanted a fight. Perhaps the guardian was a final boss of sorts, needing to be conquered before the ultimate prize could be obtained. In that case, it couldn't be too hard. The shadowed figure looked small and frail from what Kagami could see from the dim light that shined against his back, making his obscured figure known in the darkness. Yet as he approached, he could sense this was not the case. His obstacle made no move towards him; he simply watched and observed. Although Kagami felt provoked by the shadow, he was beginning to see that this had not been the guardian's intent. The guardian stood there, quiet and still, as though it was waiting for Kagami to act. Something about this felt eerily familiar, but Kagami couldn't place this gut knowledge on any specific instance from the past. He wasn't sure how to find the answer that would make the shadow move and grant him passage. But he nodded at the guardian, acknowledging him, hoping that this would be a start.

Kagami's second thought was to go around the shadow. Though the guardian clearly stood in his path, perhaps the only true obstacle was in his mind. He stepped to the side of the ethereal figure and was met with no resistance. But when he put one hand on the door, he felt the mysterious man's concealed eyes pounding down on him, as though judging the vanity of his action. Brushing aside the fact that, for reasons unknown, this made his muscles tense, Kagami tried to force open the door with his own brute strength. The metal stood sturdy under the ace's grasp, refusing to falter under his individual weight. Undeterred, Kagami pushed against the door again. Then, for the first time, the guardian struck.  The shadow stung Kagami's cheek, knocking him off-balance and sending him tumbling to the ground. Kagami looked up at the figure in anger, primed to fight, but the dark silhouette became still once more.

Kagami realized now that he could only obtain access beyond the door with the shadow's help -- not with threats or prize fights or his own desire. He stood in the figure's presence, trying to know, understand, or even sympathize with the unknown quantity. Yet he wasn't sure where he was to end and the shadow was to begin. Was he to submit himself to the darkness, or stand at its side, separated from it? With each passing moment, Kagami could feel the answer growing closer as the light from behind the door shined brighter and the face of the man inside his mind became clearer.

It was when he finally saw the shadow for who he truly was -- Kuroko Tetsuya:  his partner, his lifeline, his hope, and the source of his faith -- that Kagami realized his mistake. The boy with light blue hair and welcoming eyes wasn't the obstacle which kept him from opening the door; he was the key which could grant him passage. In this time spent wondering how to defeat him, carry on without him, or work with him, he hadn't thought to trust him.

"Kuroko…" Kagami whispered to the figure in his mind. "May I?" he asked.

Kuroko moved to the side, the door opened, and Kagami could see his teammates standing in the light. As he passed into the truth, he stared at the tender look in Kuroko's eyes and saw his partner's unspoken response gazing back at him.

"I've been waiting, Kagami-kun. You only had to ask." 


End file.
